Ancient Greeks: Creating the Classical Tradition

Hardcover | March 1, 1997

"Outstanding individuals have the whole world as their memorial."--Pericles The influence of ancient Greek civilization has been felt throughout modern Western history. Greek ideas can be found in the laws that govern our lives, the buildings in which we live, the books we read, and the vocabulary we use every day. Because these ideas have become so much a part of ourdaily life, we tend to forget that they originated more than 2,500 years ago. Ancient Greeks chronicles the lives and accomplishments of Greek figures whose influence continues to be felt today. We read about Greeks from all walks of life, including one of the greatest physicians who ever lived, the father of logic, and a brilliant mathematician who once said, "Give me alever long enough, and a fulcrum strong enough, and I will single-handedly move the world." And move the world he did, but with his ideas, not a mighty fulcrum. In 42 essays, authors Rosalie and Charles Baker explore the lives of many personalities, from the most famous Greeks to people who are usually overlooked, including: Aesop, author of timeless fables that continue to provide lessons today Lycurgus, the legendary ruler of Sparta Plato, the great philosopher who established the Academy in Athens Phidippides, a courier and long-distance runner whose run from Marathon to Athens became the basis of the modern marathon Sappho, one of the best female poets of classical antiquityHippocrates, one of the greatest physicians who ever lived Alcibiades, a patriot-turned-traitor who was exiled from Greece Ictinus, the architect responsible for the design of the Parthenon Aristotle, the father of logic who tutored the teenage Alexander the Great Alexander the Great, who ruled Greece, defeated the great Persian empire, conquered lands bordering the eastern Mediterranean Sea, including Egypt, and won control of lands stretching into India (and all that before his 33rd birthday) Zeno, founder of the philosophy known as Stoicism The biographies span the years 700 B.C. to 200 B.C., from Homer, the master of epic poetry and the author of the Iliad, to Eratosthenes, a brilliant mathematician who was the first to calculate the earth's circumference. A handy fact box that lists birth and death dates and the majoraccomplishments of each person profiled, abundant photographs and specially commissioned maps, a timeline, a glossary of Greek terms, an index of Greeks by profession, a pronunciation guide, and suggestions for further reading all add to the usefulness of this exceptional reference. With figuresfrom fields as diverse as literature, mathematics, politics, the military, philosophy, and science, Ancient Greeks provides a comprehensive examination of the origins of modern civilization.

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"Outstanding individuals have the whole world as their memorial."--Pericles The influence of ancient Greek civilization has been felt throughout modern Western history. Greek ideas can be found in the laws that govern our lives, the buildings in which we live, the books we read, and the vocabulary we use every day. Because these ideas ...

Rosalie F. and Charles F. Baker III are the editors of Calliope and both are former teachers. Charles Baker is currently an administrator for the New Bedford public schools in Massachusetts.

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Table of Contents

Map: The World of the Ancient Greeks, 700 B.C.-211 B.C.Map: Ancient Greece, 700 B.C.-211 B.C.Part 1. Forging Greek Unity (700-500 B.C.)HomerSolonLycurgusSapphoAesopPythagorasAnacreonMore Ancient Greeks to RememberMap: Persian War Battle Sites in GreecePart 2. The Ascent of Athens (500-410 B.C.)AeschylusPindarPhidippidesLeonidasSophoclesHerodotusEuripidesThemistoclesMore Ancient Greeks to RememberMap: Plan of AthensPart 3. Defending the Tradition (460-400 B.C.)PericlesPhidiasSocratesHippocratesAristophanesThucydidesAlcibiadesMore Ancient Greeks to RememberMap: The Conquests of Alexander the GreatPart 4. Expanding the Greek World (400-300 B.C.)PlatoXenophonAristotleDemosthenesPhilipAlexanderPytheasMore Ancient Greeks to RememberMap: The world of the Diadochoi, 323 B.C.-281 B.C.Part 5. A Lasting Influence (325-200 B.C.)AntigonusPtolemy I (Ptolemy Soter)EpicurusDemetriusZenoPyrrhusApollonius RhodiusArchimedesMore Ancient Greeks to RememberAppendix 1. Timeline of Events in Ancient GreeceAppendix 2. People and Places in This Book: A Guide to Spelling and PunctuationGlossaryFurther ReadingIndex

Editorial Reviews

"Brings to life philosophers, statespeople, dramatists, poets, and scientists whose impact on Western civilization is still evident. The work is recommended for middle school, high school, and public libraries."--American Reference Books Annual